A rebuild of #miRustyJeep...

[Mike_H]

I wrapped my armor tonight. I don’t know if I’d do the whole vehicle with a wrap, but it was very satisfying and easy to get a nice, shiny surface on my new armor.

The most challenging part of this was wrapping the vinyl around the back. I wanted to give it a good margin to hopefully prevent pulling up. This stuff is pretty easy to work with and I was able to fully wrap the whole gas filler hole as well as all the other curves. Little heat and stretch, stick it down, little more heat, rinse, repeat.

Finally, I had to install the armor to locate that missing hole in the steel I welded in yesterday.

Looks good, exactly what I am going for…

 

[Jamison C]

I wrapped my armor tonight. I don’t know if I’d do the whole vehicle with a wrap, but it was very satisfying and easy to get a nice, shiny surface on my new armor.
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The most challenging part of this was wrapping the vinyl around the back. I wanted to give it a good margin to hopefully prevent pulling up. This stuff is pretty easy to work with and I was able to fully wrap the whole gas filler hole as well as all the other curves. Little heat and stretch, stick it down, little more heat, rinse, repeat.

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Finally, I had to install the armor to locate that missing hole in the steel I welded in yesterday.

Looks good, exactly what I am going for…

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Really good idea Mike. I was planning on leaving mine raw when I install it but might go this route instead.

 

[Mike_H]

Really good idea Mike. I was planning on leaving mine raw when I install it but might go this route instead.

We’ll see how long it lasts. We get a lot of overhanging branches and trees on our trails. I’d like to do a color change in this Jeep, but don’t want to put the time and effort into a paint job to let it get all scratched up again. If this stuff is durable against pin stripping, I may wrap the whole thing, instead of painting. That’s the background behind the experiment.

 

[Mike_H]

Armor is installed!

Still have some work to do. I don’t think the holes for the taillight connectors are big enough. I’ll have to get a burr out and open them up.

I also have a “new” tailgate to install. Mine has rusted and cracked.

The one I have to replace it is from an older model, so no vent. It’s also chili pepper red, so I’m going to use some left over wrap to make it black. It’s better than mine, but not perfect.

It’s ready to get stripped down and cleaned up.

 

[JMT]

Armor is installed!

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Still have some work to do. I don’t think the holes for the taillight connectors are big enough. I’ll have to get a burr out and open them up.

I also have a “new” tailgate to install. Mine has rusted and cracked.

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View attachment 520393The one I have to replace it is from an older model, so no vent. It’s also chili pepper red, so I’m going to use some left over wrap to make it black. It’s better than mine, but not perfect.

It’s ready to get stripped down and cleaned up.

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Why wrap it if your putting a beauty panel over it?

I’m glad someone finally wrapped something. It looks cherry.

 

[Mike_H]

Why wrap it if your putting a beauty panel over it?

I’m glad someone finally wrapped something. It looks cherry.

cuz the Al skin isn't ready to go yet...and I'm running out of time to do it.

 

[JMT]

cuz the Al skin isn't ready to go yet...and I'm running out of time to do it.

I’ve been contemplating making a beauty panel for my son’s rig. His tailgate is really ugly. I’ll be following.

 

[Mike_H]

Well, wrapping the tailgate didn’t work out. I didn’t have quite a big enough piece, and tried to seam it. That didn't work well (as evidenced by the red line in my picture) . The little indentations are a real bugger to get the vinyl stretched into as well. Lots of wrinkles here. My trimming was terrible around the handle and lock cylinder too. Scratch that plan.

So for lack of time and the desire to get this thing in the road again, I put my old tailgate back on.

First time install, I forgot to add the spacer plates under the hinges. Not sure if it’s gen rights design, or my aftermarket hinges, but they fit like poo-poo. The holes are about a 1/4” offset from where they should be to hide behind the hinge. Tried flipping them over, but they are symmetrically bad!

Anyway, I should be able to get the rest of the stuff installed on the Jeep tomorrow and wrap this project up. I would be done, but the tailgate took me two days to get to where I can wrap it. Nice thing is that I can pretty much peel the vinyl back off, and its about ready for paint. So, I'll get the gun out and shoot the tailgate black. I have (for about 4 years now, lol) a Khaki full door sitting in my barn that needs to go on as well, since my driver's door has a bunch of rust in the bottom seam. I'll get that ready too and paint them both.

 

[Fluxor]

Interested to see how the wrap holds up as well. Looks good.

 

[Woodrow]

Looks good, Mike. I’m working on installing GR corners now. I’m too lazy to learn how to paint or wrap plus while not rusty, my TJ’s body has never been pristine, so raw it is. I wondered what those plates were for. Maybe if I had read the instructions I skimmed them but found some issues so I abandoned them. I have the MorRyde hinges and tailgait stiffener anyhow. I noticed you did 3 extra holes over the wheel well plus the lower rear corner? I just did one at the back/bottom of the wheel well. I wonder if I need more…

I tried to upload a pic but not working today for whatever reason.

 

[Mike_H]

Looks good, Mike. I’m working on installing GR corners now. I’m too lazy to learn how to paint or wrap plus while not rusty, my TJ’s body has never been pristine, so raw it is. I wondered what those plates were for. Maybe if I had read the instructions I skimmed them but found some issues so I abandoned them. I have the MorRyde hinges and tailgait stiffener anyhow. I noticed you did 3 extra holes over the wheel well plus the lower rear corner? I just did one at the back/bottom of the wheel well. I wonder if I need more…

I tried to upload a pic but not working today for whatever reason.

I actually did 5 extra holes. Who knows if it’s necessary, but it made me feel better.

The extra plates aren’t really to stiffen anything as much as to correct for the extra thickness of the armor. The hinges install on top of the armor, so the spaces are to make them level on the tailgate.

 

[Mike_H]

Project corner armor is complete. I do have a little trouble shooting to do on my plate light and third brake lite, as they currently are not functional. I suspect it’s a bad ground.

There is more to do on my tailgate and lower valence, but for now, I’m done working on the Jeep. I also have a relay center and lighting to add (Rock lights, more forward lighting, and some reverse lights).